Jeremy Clarkson is never more infuriating than when he is right, which is fortunately an infrequent occurrence. He is a self-created caricature of a reactionary petrolhead, and not the sort of man to enjoy praising an electric car with a computer that boasts about cherishing trees. But, it must be admitted, the Top Gear presenter had a point when he complained in an episode last weekend about the limited and unpredictable range of even the most up-to-date electric cars and the short life of their expensive batteries. Electric cars, as he said, are not yet perfect: indeed they are very far from being an immediate replacement for fossil fuel vehicles. In the programme, Mr Clarkson tested a Nissan Leaf and contrived to run out of power in Lincoln, spending 13 hours waiting for his vehicle to recharge. Nissan – which will soon make the Leaf and its batteries in Sunderland – is upset. The company complains that the car it lent Top Gear began its journey undercharged. No surprise, then, that it ran out. Top Gear's producer answered back: the programme had never claimed to have tested the full range, he said. It is time to put this squabble aside. What matters more is the fact that sensible and usable electric vehicles are now close to a reality. The Leaf is still very expensive, and its battery needs improvement, but it is the first fully electric car to go on sale in Britain that even Mr Clarkson admits is well-made, well-designed, fast and comfortable. The future is almost here. All you need is somewhere to plug it in.